Bolster.



Patented Oct. 11,1910.

3 SHEETS-QEHBT 1.

INVENTOR v. J. M

H. T. KRAKAU.

BOLSTBR. APPLIGA' IION FILED JUNE 24, 1909.

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BOLSTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1909.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

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BOLSTER.

I v APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 24, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 I Q y INVENTOR M1 @wu Patented Oct. 11,1910.

HARRY T. KRAKAU, CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEAI BLECASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BOLS'IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Application filed June 24, 1909. Serial No. 504,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY T. KRAKAU, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bolsters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescriptiom'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of abolster embodying my invention; Fig. 2- is a side view of the same;Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken respectively on the lines III-J11 andIV-IV; Fig. 5 is a side View showing the bolster applied to a car truck,the bolster being in cross section; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views ofone of the column guides; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views of thewedge; Fig. 11 is a top View, and Fig. 12, a sectional view, showing amodified arrangement of the column guides.

My invention has relation to car bolsters, andis designed to provide abolster in which the metal is so disposed as to take the strains andtransmit them to the points of supportin the most efiicient manner,whereby there is provided a bolster of maximum strength, with a minimumamount of metal contained therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionand arrangement of the column guides for the bolster; and further, toprovide means for automatically adjusting the slack or looseness betweenthe columns.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, which will now be described, it being premised,however, that various changes may be made in the details of theconstruction and arrangement of the various parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention asdefined in the appended claims.

The bolster as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

sion member 3,4 and 5, are preferably of broad form, the web 6 beingcentrally arranged, and suitable reinforcing ribs 10 be ing provided.The compression strains when received by the member 2 under load, aredelivered to the compression members 8 and 9, and thence to the tensionmember 3, 4 and 5. The central portion 4 of the tension member takes themaximum strain in direct tension between the members 8 and .9; and thisstrain is then carried to the points of support by the oblique portions3 and 5 of the tension member. This tension member is preferably ofgreatest depth at the central directions up to the points of support.The tension member carries the strains in a straight line, there beingno bendin moment or-torsional strain on said mem r at any time. Saidmember is also supported throughout its full width by the compressionl'nembers 8 and 9.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, the endportions of the bolster are formed with the laterally open seats orpockets 11 to receive the column guides 12, one of-.which is shown indetail in Figs. 6 and 7 These guides, instead of bein formed integralwith, or rigidly sewhich are seated in the pockets '11, and which areprovided on their outer sides with the lips or flanges 13 to fit thecolumn 14 of the side frame of the car truck. These column guides arepreferably made hollow \in order to reduce their weight. Centrally ofeach pair of the pockets 11 in which these guides are seated, the endportions of the bolster are provided with the ribs 15. These ribs areconcaved on their upper edges to engage a centrally arranged slot 16 ina wedge member 17, the upper wall of said slot being convexed, as shownat 18 in Figs. 8 and S), to correspond to the concavity of the ribs 15.One of these wedges is emloyed at each end of the bolster, beinginserted through an opening 19 in the main. compression member 2, itsslot fitting over the rib 15, and its ta ering sides engaging thetapered inner si es 20 of the column guides. As shown in Fig. 5, thefunction of this wedge is to move down by gravity, so as to keep thecolumn guides held out against the columns 14 so that there will beportion of the truss, thence tapering in both no spaces or play betweenthe guides and the columns. This wedge also acts to take up allinequalities in the castings, and also takes up all wear, due to motionbetween the columns and the column guides, thereby maintaining a solidbrid e between the columns 14 at all times. hen a strain comes on thebolster longitudinally of the truck, the effect is simply a push on thecolumns, instead of a hammer blow whenever cars are moved so that thebolster gets a certain jerk. In assembling the truck, the column guidesare put in the bolster, and slipped back, so that the lips or flanges 12are flush with the sides of the bolster; the bolster is then slipped inbetween'the columns until the central position is reached. The columnguides are then moved out so as to come to the proper positions on thecolumns; the wedge members are then dropped in, the bolster is lifted upto its proper position,

i and the bolster springs 21 are inserted. The

same method inreverse order is employed in removing the bolster from thetruck. It

will be obvious that this feature of my invention is applicable to sideframes of either the built up arch bar type, or of the cast form.

1n the modification shown in Fi s. 11 and 12, the automatic adjustmentfeature is omitted, and column guides, such as shown at 22 in Figs. 11and 12 are inserted in laterally open pockets in the end portions of thebolster, said pockets being separated by the central web 23. Thecompression member of the bolster is not cut out, as shown at 15, inFig. 1, but the only opening is. at the sides of the pockets where thecolumn guides are inserted. A slight clearance is provided between thecolumn guides and the columns, as indicated at 24, in Fig. 12, and inthis form of the invention, to take the bolster out, it is necessary tofirst remove the column bolts 25 and to take off the top arch bar 26.

The advantages of my invention will be i apparent to those skilled inthe art. The

cast bolster shown and described, provides a bolster of great strengthwith a minimum amount of metal, owing to the arrangement and dispositionof the metal therein, whereby the various strains are taken care of inthe most efiicient manner. The provision of the separate column guidesis also a feature of great advantage, since these guides may be formedseparately from the bolster and readily removed and renewed whennecessary. When the automatic adjustment feature is, employed thefurther advantages of facility in inserting and removing the bolstersfrom the truck; and the taking up looseness and wear between the guidesand the columns, thereby maintaining a solid bridge between the columnsat all times, are obtained.

compression member with the tension member, said compression membersbeing arranged in downwardly diverging or A-form; substantially-asdescribed.

2. A bolster, comprising a main compression member, a tension member, aweb connecting said members, and supplemental compression membersconnecting the main compression member with the tension member, saidcompression members being arranged in downwardly diverging or A-form,and said supplemental compression members extending substantially thefull width of the main compression member and of the tension member anda tension member having a straight horizontal portion between the saidsupplemental compression members; substantially as described.

3. A bolster, comprising a main compression member," a tension member,consisting of obli ue tapered end portions and a substantial y straightcentral portion, a central web connecting the main compression memberwith the tension member, and central supplemental compression memberscon necting the main compression member and the tension memberthroughout substantially their entire width; substantially as described.v

4. An integral cast bolster, having its main compression member and itstension member connected by a web, and also by central divergentsupplemental compression members; substantially as described.

5. A bolster provided at its end portions with laterally 0 en seats orpockets, and column guides slidably seated therein; substantially asdescribed. 6. A'bolster having its end portions-provided with laterallyopen seats or pockets, column guides seated therein, and means formoving the column guides outwardly in said seats or pockets into contactwith the bolster sertible and removable at the side thereof;

substantially as described.

8..A bolster having laterally open seats or pockets at its end portions,column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity member betweenadjacent guides; substantially as described.

9. A bolster having its end portions provided with laterally open seatsor pockets, column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity wedgebetween and engagingadjacent guides; substantially as described.

10. A bolster having its end portions provided with laterally open seatsor pockets, column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity wedgebetween and engaging adacent guides, the bolster having a top open-' ingto receive said-wedge; substantially as described.

11. A bolster having its end portions provided with laterally open seatsor pockets, column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity wedgebetween and engaging adjacent guides, said guides having wedgeshapedinner surfaces for engagement with said wedge; substantially asdescribed.

12. A bolster having its end portions pro- 'vided with laterally openseats or pockets,

column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity wedge between andengaging adjacent guides the bolster and wedge having intertittingguiding portions; substantially as described.

13. A bolster having its end portion provided with laterally open seatsor pockets, column guides movably seated therein, and a gravity wedgebetween and engaging adjacent guides, the bolster having a rib, and thewedge having a slot-for engagement with such rib; substantially asdescribed.

14. In a car truck, a side frame having openings therethrough for theends of a bolster and provided with columns, and a bolster having itsend portions extending through said openings, said bolster havinglaterally open seats or pockets, and column guides slidably seated insaid seats or pockets and arranged to slidably engage the columns. ofthe side frame; substantially as described. 1

15. A cast bolster comprising a main compression member, a tensionmember, an integral web connecting said members, and supplementalcompression members connecting the main compression member with thetension member, said compression members being arranged in downwardlydiverging or A-form, the tension member having a straight portionbetween the supplemental compression members and extending from saidstraight portion obliquely upwardly in a straight line to about thepoints of support of the bolster; substantially as de-.

scribed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

- I HARRY T. KRAKAU. Witnesses:

HARRY E. ORR, CLARENCE GUENTHER.

